Distributor shifter for linecasting machines



1962 H. KLEPPER ETAL 3,068,998

DISTRIBUTOR SHIFTER FOR LINECASTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 23, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS.

HERBERT KLEPPER. I

BY WILLIAM B. ABBOTT 3,068,998 DISTRIBUTOR SHIFTER FOR LINECASTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 25, 1961 Dec. 18, 1962 H. KLEPPER ETAL 3Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. HERBERT KLEPPER BBOTT BY W/LUAM H. KLEPPER ETAL Dec. 18, 1962 DISTRIBUTOR SHIFTER FOR LINECASTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 23, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 .ulHillm.

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HERBERT KLEPPER BY 'WILLIAM B. ABBOTT 3,068,998 Patented Dec. 18, 1962 3,068,998 DISTRIBUTOR SHIFTER FOR LINECASTING MACHINES Herbert Klepper, Brooklyn, and William B. Abbott, Baldwin, N.Y., assignors to Mergenthaler Linotype Company, a corporation of New York Filed Feb. 23, 1961, Ser. No. 91,152 14 Claims. (Cl. 199-33) This invention relates to typographical machines such as linecasting machines of the general organization represented in U.S. Letters Patent to O. Mergenthaler, No. 436,532, wherein circulating matrices are released from a magazine in the order in which they are to appear in print and then assembled in line with spacebands, the composed line transferred to the face of a mold, the mold filled with molten metal to form a type bar or slug and the matrices returned through a distributing mechanism to the magazine from which they started while the spacebands are returned to their own separate magazine or box. More particularly the present invention relates to an improved mechanism for transferring the matrices from the second elevator bar to the distributing mechanism of the machine. Moreover, the invention also relates to an improved drive mechanism for the distributing mechanism.

Heretofore, the matrices were transferred from the second elevator bar by a distributor shifter which consisted of a slide that travels in a bracket attached to the distributor beam of the machine. The slide, which carries a spring cushioned pusher aligned with the matrices to be transferred, is connected by a spring link to the long arm of a lever which is fulcrumed on a bracket of the machine located near the main cam shaft. The short arm of the lever is engaged by a small cam segment formed on the side of the mold turning cam. A spring connected to the lever urges the shifter slide toward the distributing mechanism while the cam moves the slide to a position to engage the line of matrices. In operation the cam is such as to actuate the distributor shifter just before the second elevator seats the line of matrices in the upper transfer position. Moreover, as soon as the matrices are in position to be transferred the cam permits the spring to urge the matrices to the distributing mechanism where they are presented to the continuously rotating distributor screws.

Inasmuch as the distributor shifter is controlled in its operation by a small cam that functions near the very end of the machine cycle, it is clear that the cam operation of the shifter is extremely abrupt. This, of course, can lead toexcessive Wear of the cooperating parts particularly under conditions of high speed operation. In addition, the long heavy lever of the shifter mechanism has proven too cumbersome for high speed operation for the following reason. The momentum of this lever during Withdrawal of the shifter slide from its spring-urged posi tion would oftentimes carry the matrix pusher beyond the point where it engages a new line of matrices, whereupon the spring would snap the mechanism back to engage the line of matrices with a considerable impact. This caused undesirable jarring of the mechanism and matrices and undue noise at the parts are brought into engagement with each other.

Thus, while the prior art mechanism is entirely satisfactory for general use, an improved mechanism is highly desirable for the new high speed machines. It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide such machanism.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided the usual slide and matrix pusher carried thereby. The slide and matrix pusher are moved to a line receiving position by a wire cable connected at one end to the slide and trained over a pulley located at one end of the distributor bracket and a pair of pulleys and a driven clutch member at the other end of the distributor bracket. The cable is then connected through a tension spring to the other end of the slide. The clutch member is a part of a magnetic clutch the driving member of which is powered from the intermediate shaft of the machine. The clutch is energized just prior to the line of matrices being transported to the upper transfer position to bring the slide and pusher to the matrix receiving position where the slide is latched. When the second elevator bar seats in the upper transfer position the latch is released and a tension spring connected between the slide and the fixed distributor bracket urges the slide toward the distributing mechanism whereby the matrices are delivered into the distributor box. A buffer is provided to control the speed at which the slide is moved toward the distributing mechanism by the tension spring. The matrices are delivered into the distributor box and then to the rotating distributor screws. A circuit is provided to initiate rotation of the screws when the distributor slide starts its movement towards the matrix receiving position. At the end of a short delay after the last matrix falls from the distributor bar the circuit is interrupted to deenergize the clutch and arrest rotation of the distributor screws until matrices are once more delivered into the distributor box.

Features and advantages of this invention will be gained from the foregoing and from the description of a preferred embodiment thereof which follows.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1A is a plan view of the left hand portion of the distributing mechanism as viewed from the rear of the machine;

FIG. 1B is a plan view of the right hand portion of the distributing mechanism as viewed from the rear of th machine;

FIG. 2A is an elevational view of the left hand portion of the distributing mechanism as viewed from the rear of the machine;

FIG. 2B is an elevational view of the right hand portion of the distributing mechanism as viewed from the rear of the machine.

FIG. 3 is a left side elevational view of the distributing mechanism;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1B;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 1B;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view of the distributor shifter slide;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view of the matrix pusher carried by the distributor shifter slide; and 1 FIG. 8 is a schematic wiring diagram of the electrical elements employed to control the distributing mechanism of this invention.

Reference is made to the drawings wherein the distributor beam of a linecasting machine is shown by the reference numeral 9. The beam is provided with a rail 10 on which the distributor shifter slide 11 is slideably mounted. The slide has a downwardly projecting arm 12 which carries a pusher element 13 that aligns with the matrices 14 suspended from the second elevator bar 15 and pushes them from the second elevator into the distributor box 16 of the machine for distribution tov their respective channels in the storage magazines. As shown particularly in FIGS. 6 and 7 pusher element 13 is slideably supported on arm 12 by a pair of screws 17 which pass through a slotted portion of element 13. A tension spring 20 urges the pusher element leftwardly, but it is limited in its extreme position by the engagement of the adjustable screw 21 and the arm 12.

The distributor shifter slide is translated from its normal position abutting the distributing mechanism to a place on the remote side of the position where the second elevator bar seats in the upper transfer position and back to its normal position by means now to be described. The remote position of the matrix slide will be referred to as the matrix receiving position for convenience. A wire cable 22 is secured to the bracket 23 on shifter slide 11. The cable is then trained over pulley 24, pulley 25, the driven pulley 26 of an electromagnetic distributor shifter clutch 27, pulley 30, and back to bracket 23. The connection to bracket 23 is made through a tension spring 31 which maintains the cable taut so that it and the slide 11 may be driven through clutch 27. Another tension spring 32 extending between bracket 23 and a fixed portion 33 of the distributor beam urges the shifter slide to its normal position abutting the distributing mechanism. In this position the slide actuates mechanical switch 34 for a purpose which will hereinafter he described.

The power for translating the distributor shifter slide 11 against the force exerted by spring 32 is derived from the intermediate shaft of the linecasting machine which rotates pulley 35 through the intermediary of belt 36. This pulley is rotating continuously and is secured to the same rotating member 37 as is the driving member of clutch 27. Energization of the clutch is controlled by a cam actuated switch which is adapted to be actuated just before the second elevator bar is seated in the upper transfer position.

Slide 11 is normally in its normal position (FIGS. 1B and 2B) when the aforementioned cam actuated switch is closed during the machine cycle. With this switch closed, clutch 27 is energized and pulley 26 commences counterclockwise rotation as viewed in FIG. 3. This rotation causes that portion of cable 22 extending between pulleys 24 and 25 to move toward the latter pulley with the result that slide 11 is moved against the force exerted by spring 32 into the matrix receiving position where it actuates switch 40. As will be described hereinafter with reference to the wiring diagram, this slide actuated switch interrupts the energization circuit for the clutch 27 thereby arresting the motion of the slide due to drive from the intermediate shaft. At the same time that switch 40 is actuated, or slightly before such actuation, a latch 41 is moved into position to restrain the return movement of the slide under the urging of spring 32.

As slide 11 approaches its matrix receiving position, finger 42 abuts beveled surface 43 of the latch 41 forcing the latch toward the rear of the machine (FIGS. 1B and 3). Latch 41 is slideably mounted on screws 44 but constantly biased forward by spring 45. Thus, once projecting lug 42 of slide 11 moves past the latch, the slide is held in matrix receiving position until the latch is released. As will be shown, this is accomplished by the second elevator bar as it seats in the upper transfer position.

As the second elevator ascends and moves the elevator bar 15 into position adjacent the distributor box 16 it releases latch 41 (FIG. 4). Elevator bar 15 abuts adjustable screw 47 mounted on the depending finger 50 of latch 41 thereby pushing latch 41 rearwardly against the force of spring 45. Once latch 41 clears lug 42, spring 32 pulls slide 11 and the matrices engaged thereby toward the distributing mechanism (FIGS. 1B and 2B). Immediately switch 40 is actuated to prepare the circuit controlling clutch 27 for subsequent energization during the next machine cycle. A dampening device 51 is provided on the shaft of pulley 24 to insure a smooth transfer of the matrices to the distributing mechanism. This substantially eliminates the jarring and noise experienced heretofore during high speed operation. With regard to the dampener 51, a standard one way clutch mechanism is included therein. This clutch mechanism permits free rotation of the pulley 24 when slide 11 is driven toward the matrix receiving position by clutch 27 thereby elimina-ting the necessity of overcoming dampening forces during this move. The same clutch mechanism does, however, permit operation of the dampening device as slide 11 returns to its normal position. In this manner the matrices are smoothly shifted from elevator bar 14 to the distributing mechanism. During this transfer of matrices, spring 32 remains active to continuously feed the matrices through distributor 16 to the matrix lift 52 which functions in the conventional manner to deliver the matrices up to the distributor screws 53. The screws then feed the matrices along the distributor bar 54 until the matrices drop therefrom into their respective channels in the storage magazine.

The pulley driven by belt 36 from the intermediate shaft of the machine also rotates the driving element of an electromagnetic distributor clutch 55. The driven element of the clutch is keyed to shaft 37 as is gear 57. Gear 57 engages gears 60 and 61 which are keyed, respectively, to the shafts 62 and 63 of distributor screws 64 and 65. A gear 66 keyed to shaft 62 engages the gear 67 keyed to the shaft 70 of distributor screw 71. Thus it is apparent that the three distributor screws are positively driven upon energization of clutch 55. An electromagnetic brake '72 is provided to act on shaft 37 and arrest rotation of the distributor screws in the event such action becomes desirable. r

Control of the clutch 55 is effected by engagement of the normally closed contacts of switch 34. These contacts are generally held in separated condition by shifter slide 11 when the slide is in its normal position adjacent the distributing mechanism. However, as soon as shifter slide 11 moves towards the matrix receiving position, as previously described, the contacts of switch 34 engage to energize clutch 55 and initiate rotation of the distributor screws. Rotation of the distributor screws continues until the shifter slide has reached its normal position to separate the contacts of switch 34 and the last matrix fed to the distributor screws has been delivered to its storage channel in the matrix magazine. The means whereby this is accomplished will be more apparent after the wiring diagram is described.

The clutch 55 is also deenergized under emergency conditions such as when a matrix becomes jammed on the distributor screws. In such a case the lower front distributor screw 65 is adapted to slide transversely in a direction away from the distributor clutch 55. In so doing the side wall '73 of gear 61 abuts lever 74 pivoting it about pin 75 to permit switch 76 to move to its normal nonactuated position. Such movement of the switch deenergizes clutch 55 and energizes brake 72 to quickly arrest rotation of the distributor screws. Clearing of the jammed matrix allows distributor screw 65 to be restored to its normal operating position whereupon switch 76 assumes its actuated position to energize clutch 55 and deenergize brake 72. Switch 76 is also positioned to be actuated by the channel entrance 77. If the channel entrance is pivoted out of operating position it permits switch '76 to be moved to a non-actuated position with the same result as when distributor screw 65 actuates the switch. Thus, unless channel entrance 77 is in its normal operating position, the distributor screws will not be rotated.

The operation of the apparatus will now be briefly summarized with particular reference to the wiring diagram of FIG. 8. It will first be assumed that power is connected to the leads 80 and 81. It will further be assumed that the normally engaged contacts SS of switch 34 are held in a separated condition by the action of shifter slide 11 on the switch. In other words, the shifter slide is in its normal position. Moreover, it will be assumed that there is no matrix 82 on the distributor bar 54 so that there is no circuit between the bar and distributor screw 64. Under these conditions electronic control tube ECT will be conducting and the distributor relay DR .5 will be energized to separate contacts DRl and to engage contacts DR2. The latter contacts complete a circuit for the distributor signal lamp D6. Illumination of this lamp indicates that the distributor screws are not rotating.

As the linecasting machine nears the completion of a cycle of operations, and just prior to the carriage of matrices to the upper transfer position by the second elevator, the switch actuated by a cam on the second elevator cam is actuated to engage contacts CS. Engagement of these contacts completes a circuit to energize the distributor shifter clutch 27. Energization of this clutch moves slide 11 towards its matrix receiving position. As the slide moves away from the distributing mechanism contacts SS of switch 34 assume their normally engaged condition to short out resistor R. Shorting out of this resistor decreases the voltage on the control grid of tube ECT with the result that the tube ceases to conduct and relay DR is energized. Consequently contacts DRl engage and a circuit is completed to energize the distributor clutch 55, thus initiating rotation of the distributor screws. The distributor lamp DL is extinguished to indicate this fact.

When the distributor slide reaches its matrix receiving position it engages switch 40 to separate the contacts LS and deenergize clutch 27. .Atthe same time slide 11 is latched in this position by latch 41. The ascent of the second elevator and the seating of the second elevator bar in the upper transfer position moves latch 41 to a nonlatching position whereupon Spring 32 acts to pull slide 11 towards its normal position and transfer matrices from the second elevator bar to the distributing mechanism. In the meantime contacts CS separate in preparation for the next cycle of operations.

When the matrices are fed by the distributor box mechanism to the distributor screws and bar an additional circuit is completed to short out resistor R. The circuit is traced through distributor bar 54, matrix 82 and distributor screw 64. When the last matrix is fed through the distributor box, shifter slide 11 will have reached its normal position and engaged switch 34 to separate contacts SS. However, it is only when the last matrix 82 drops from the distributor bar that both short circuits around resistor R are interrupted. At this time tube ECT again begins to conduct and relay DR is energized to separate contacts DRl and interrupt the circuit for energizing clutch 55. The distributor screws, therefore, cease to turn until the beginning of the next cycle of opera-tion.

If during the travel of matrices on the distributor bar, one of them became jammed so that distributor screw 71 was moved transversely to actuate switch 76, contacts CD of the switch would have separated to deenergiZe distributor clutch 55 while switch contact BE would have engaged to energize the distributor brake 72. The latter contacts also complete a circuit to illuminate the emergency stop lamp ESL.

It is contemplated that many changes and modifications could be made to the apparatus described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and, therefore, it is to be understood that the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted in an illustrative rather than a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In a typographical casting machine having a second elevator movable between an upper matrix transfer position and a lower matrix transfer position and a distributing mechanism for returning matrices to their respective channels, a distributor shifter mechanism for transferring matrices from said second elevator to said distributing mechanism comprising a shifter slide which engages the line of matrices suspended on the second elevator and pushes them into the distributing mechanism, a pulley and cable system including a drive clutch for moving said slide into a matrix receiving position, means for operating the drive clutch when the second elevator is away from the upper matrix transfer position 6 to move the shifter slide to its matrix receiving position, resilient means for returning said slide to its delivery position and presenting the line of matrices to said distributing mechanism, and latching means for holding said slide in its matrix receiving position against the force 4 of said resilient means, said latching means being released by the ascent and seating of said second elevator whereupon said resilient means returns said slide to its matrix delivery position.

'2. A typographical casting machine according to claim 1 wherein said resilient means comprises a tension spring mounted between the machine frame and said shifter slide whereby upon release of said latching means said spring becomes operative to move the shifter slide and the matrices to delivery position.

3. In a typographical casting machine having a second elevator movable between an upper matrix transfer position and a lower matrix transfer position and a distributing mechanism, a distributor shifter mechanism for transferring matrices from said second elevator to said distributing mechanism comprising a shifter slide which engages the line of matrices suspended on the second elevator and pushes them into the distributing mechanism, a drive clutch for operating said slide, means for energizing said drive clutch, a pulley and cable system mounted between said clutch and said slide for moving said slide into matrix receiving position awaiting the ascent of said second elevator, separate means for deenergizing said drive clutch when said slide reaches the receiving position, latching means for holding said slide in the matrix receiving position until the second elevator is seated in the upper transfer position, and resilient means for returning said slide to its delivery position and simultaneously presenting the line of matrices to said distributing mechanism.

4. In a typographical linecasting machine having a second elevator movable between an upper matrix transfer position and a lower matrix transfer position and a distributing mechanism for returning matrices to their storage magazines, a distributor shifter for transferring matrices from the second elevator to the distributing mechanism comprising a sliding member for engaging a line of matrices, yieldable means for biasing said member from a matrix receiving position to a position adjacent the distributing mechanism, means for moving said sliding member from a position adjacent said distributing mechanism to the matrix receiving position, clutch means for actuating said last named means, and electrical means for controlling the operation of said clutch means to move said sliding member to a matrix receiving position when the second elevator is away from the upper matrix transfer position.

5. A distributor shifter according to claim 4 wherein the means for moving the sliding member to the matrix receiving position comprises a first pulley means to tatably secured to one end of the distributor bracket, a second pulley means rotatably secured to the other end of the distributor bracket, a wire cable trained over said pulley means and the driven member of the clutch means and secured at its opposite ends to the sliding member, and means for driving said wire cable over said pulley means whereby said sliding member is translated to the matrix receiving position.

6. A distributor shifter according to claim 5 including means for maintaining said wire cable taut so that the driving means can translate the sliding member to the matrix receiving position against the force exerted by the yieldable means biasing said sliding member to the position adjacent the distributing mechanism.

7. A distributor shifter according to claim 5 wherein said clutch means is an electromagnetic clutch the driving member of which is continuously rotated and wherein the electrical means includes a switch actuated by a cam on the main cam shaft of the machine for controlling energization of said clutch.

8. A distributor shifter according to claim 7 including latch means for latching the sliding member in the matrix receiving position.

9. A distributor shifter according to claim 8 including switch means for controlling deenergization of the clutch after the sliding member has been latched in the matrix receiving position.

10. A distributor shifter according to claim 8 including means responsive to the second elevator seating the line of matrices in the upper transfer position for releasing said latch means to permit said sliding member to be biased toward the distributing mechanism by the aforesaid yieldable means. 7 s p 11. A distributor shifter according to claim 10 including a dashpot means for retarding the movement of said sliding member toward the distributing mechanism.

12. In a typographical linecasting machine having a distributing mechanism for returning matrices to their storage magazine, said mechanism including a distributor bar and distributor screws, a drive mechanism for the distributor screws including a clutch, means for detecting matrices on the distributor bar, and means responsive to the absence of matrices on the distributor bar for disengaging the clutch to arrest the rotation of the distributor screws.

13. In a typographical linecasting machine having a distributing mechanism for returning matrices to their storage magazine, said mechanism including a distributor box, a distributor bar and distributor screws, a drive mechanism for the distributor screws including a clutch, means responsive to the absence of matrices on the distributor bar for disengaging the clutch to arrest the rotation of the distributor screws, and means responsive to the entry of a matrix into the distributor box for engaging the clutch to initiate rotation of the distributor screws.

14. In a typographical linecasting machine having a distributing mechanism for returning matrices to their storage magazine, said mechanism including distributor screws, one of which is longitudinally movable when a matrix becomes jammed on the screws, a drive mechanism for the distributor screws including an electrically controlled clutch, electrical means responsive to longitudinal movement of the movable distributor screw for deenergizing said electrically controlled clutch to thereby arrest rotation of said distributor screws.

Letsch Jan. 2, 1923 Lynch July 13, 1937 

